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by Lynn Landes, ZeroWasteAmerica.com (215) 493-1070 and Maria Bechis, updated
July 1998
The widespread and uncontrolled use of fluoride in our water,
food, juices, beverages, and dental products is causing widespread overexposure
to fluoride in the U.S.
For three consecutive years, The Journal of the American Dental
Association (see JADA’s Dec. 1995, July1996, July 1997) has published studies
reporting on pervasive overexposure to fluoride due to "the widespread use
of fluoridated water, fluoride dentifrice, dietary fluoride supplements and other
forms of fluoride...{There is} an increased prevalence of dental fluorosis,
ranging from about 15% to 65% in fluoridated areas and 5% to 40% in
non-fluoridated areas in North America."
In February of 1997, The Academy of General Dentistry
(AGD)
warned parents to limit their children’s intake of juices due to excessive
fluoride content.
In April of 1994, the ADA's Council on Scientific Affairs
approved a new Fluoride Supplementation Dosage Schedule with the following
cautions, "All sources of fluoride must be evaluated with a thorough
fluoride history ...Patient exposure to multiple sources can make proper
prescribing complex...Caries reduction benefits must be balanced with risk for
mild and very mild fluorosis." The multiple sources for fluoride ingestion
makes any assessment of patient exposure to fluoride, highly speculative.
Today, over 50% of the United States population drink
fluoridated water. Most developed countries have banned fluoride in water. Less
than 2% of Western Europe drink fluoridated water. In general, Americans are not
warned of the risks of fluoride. Food and beverage labels do not include
fluoride
concentrations.
Fluoride is the only chemical added to U.S. municipal water
that is used to mass medicate, rather than to render water safe to drink. It is
not an essential nutrient. It has never received "FDA Approval" (U.S.
Food and Drug Administration). It is listed as an "unapproved new drug"
by the FDA, and as a "contaminant" by the EPA. Although fluoride can
occur naturally in some water supplies, the type of fluoride added to water is a
hazardous waste of the aluminum, uranium, and phosphate fertilizer industries.
Fluoride accumulates throughout the body, over an individual’s lifetime. It effects all age groups
with both long and short-term
harmful health consequences. Fluorosis is symptomatic of an over-exposure to
fluoride. Its visible characteristics are the discoloration, white flecks, or pitting of
the teeth. Fluorosis can lead to decay in teeth and bone, and has been
linked to Alzheimer's, kidney damage, cancer, genetic damage, neurological
impairment, and bone pathology.
In 1993, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
(HHS) stated
in its Toxicological Profile on Fluoride," Existing data indicate that
subsets of the population maybe unusually susceptible to the toxic effects of
fluoride and its compounds. These populations include the elderly, people with deficiencies
of calcium, magnesium, and/or vitamin C, and people with cardiovascular and kidney problems... Postmenopausal
women and elderly men in
fluoridated communities may also be at increased risk of fractures."
Is there a margin of safety for exposure to fluoride? In the
1940’s, when fluoridation of municipal water began, the "optimal"
level of exposure to fluoride for dental benefit was determined to be 1
milligram/day. Even at the 1 mg/day exposure level, 10% of the population were expected
to contract dental fluorosis. It was estimated that individuals drank 1 liter of water per day. At that time,
other sources of fluoride were
scarce.
In 1986, the EPA set new "maximum contaminant levels
(MCLs)"
for fluoride. Above 2 mg/liter" children are likely to develop objectionable
dental fluorosis" and parents must be officially notified. Above 4mg/liter,
individuals are at risk of developing "crippling skeletal fluorosis."
It is against federal law to fluoridate water above 4 mg/liter.
(U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Review of Fluoride
Benefits and Risks, 1991). Below is a summary and analysis of fluoride exposure
levels from food, beverages, toothpaste, and mouthwash. This
data indicates that dentists should no long prescribe supplements.
Fluoride Concentration in Drinking Water Fluoride
Intake
% Over 1 mg "Optimal" Dosage
Unfluoridated Communities < 0.3 mg/L 0.88-
2.20 mg/day as much
as 120 %
"Optimally" Fluoridated 0.7-1.2
mg/L 1.58-
6.60 mg/day as much
as 560 %
Fluoridatedcommunities >
2.0 mg/L 2.10-
7.05 mg/day possible
>605 %
(Table does not include: Fluoride supplements, pharmaceuticals, emissions, and
workplace exposures to fluoride)
ZWA RECOMMENDATION: The FDA should
be required to put fluoride through the rigorous" controlled studies"
necessary for "Disapproval." If fluoride gains FDA Approval, then it
should be treated as a prescribed medication in order to prevent patient overexposure.
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